Trial for Starry Elementary teacher moved out of Linn County

A Marion teacher accused of failing to report sexual abuse of students in her classroom will be tried outside of Linn County.

A judge granted Diane Graham's request last week, according to online court records. Her trial was scheduled to start in July.

A criminal complaint says two students told Graham on or around August 26, 2016 that they were being touched in a sexual manner by a 15-year-old volunteer in the classroom. As a teacher, Graham is a mandatory reporter of child abuse, but she failed to report the disclosures to police or DHS personnel. Marion Police were told abuse the alleged abuse 2 months later.

Graham has pleaded not guilty to failure to report child abuse as a mandatory reporter.

The teen, who is now 16-years-old was convicted of three counts of sexual abuse that happened while he volunteered in a classroom in 2016 and was sent to a state training school in Eldora.

Marion Police were recently notified of child abuse allegations that took place in the 2015-16 school year. Marion Police have not said who is responsible for the alleged abuse.